1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to archery. More particularly, the present invention concerns means for mounting accessories to an archery bow. Even more particularly, the present invention concerns devices for enabling proper positioning of nocking points and determining the bracing height, as well as for peepsight and/or kisser button location, for archery bows.
2. Prior Art
In archery the accuracy obtained in placing the arrow on target depends to a great extent on proper stringing of the bow, with the correct measurement for the particular bow being maintained between the back of the bow handle and the string and with proper locating of the nocking points on the bow string, the foregoing measurement or distance being generally referred to in the sport as "bracing heights" or "fistmele" and normally being maintained within a range of seven to eight and one-quarter inches. The "nocking point" are fixed members on the bow string on which the arrow is placed so that each arrow is shot from the same position on the string. The proper locating of these points is highly important for consistent and accurate shooting of the arrows.
The nocking point, as noted, is a preselected and identifiable position on an archer's bow string against which an arrow is placed so as to propel the same accurately and consistently every time the arrow is fired. It is highly important that the precise position of the nocking point be located for each arrow to be fired from the bow. Moreover, different arrows, particularly those having different diameters, have slightly different nocking point positions on the bow string of a given bow.
In contemporary archery, particularly in competitive target archery, the archer normally uses a bow sight and a definite anchor point on his face in order to obtain maximum accuracy and consistency in hitting the target with the arrow. The sights, which are mounted on the bow, usually slightly above the arrow rest, are of little value unless the fixed anchor point is consistently used, and various practices and devices have been used to assist the archer in using the precise anchor point. One of these devices is referred to as a kisser button, which is normally a small disc-shaped member adapted to be clamped onto the bowstring at the position corresponding to the archer's mouth, and when the archer draws his bow, the bow string are so positioned that the button rests between the lips with the mouth closed. Thus the closed lips, in conjunction with the kisser button, form a definite anchor point which permits the archer to consistently draw the bow and aim the arrows.
After the button has been properly located on the string, it becomes a fixed point on the string which is used constantly by the archer and, whenever a new string is used in the bow, the archer endeavors to locate the button in the corresponding position on the new string, with respect to the nocking point on the new string.
More recently, and as bow sights have become more sophisticated, a peepsight has been used which permits the archer to obtain maximum accuracy time after time with the same bow and sight settings. The peepsight is attached to the string usually by separating the strands and securing the sight between the strands in a fixed position. When the nocking point, kisser button and peepsight have been properly positioned, consistent accuracy in shooting is easily achieved so long as the points are maintained in their proper positions. However, as the bow is used, there is a tendency for the string to stretch and/or for the kisser button or peepsight to slip, thus, rendering the setting of those elements inaccurate and resulting in inaccurate shooting.
The prior art has devised many devices to facilitate the mounting of nocking points and to determine the proper bracing height for an archery bow, as well as kisser button and peepsight location. See, inter alia, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,088,212; 3,038,262; 3,969,825, as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,111,722 and 3,600,814.
Yet, these prior art devices fail to provide the combined ability of nocking point placement enablement and bracing height determination. Likewise, the prior art devices fail to provide sufficient "working" space for nocking point mounting and, likewise, fail to provide sufficient "working" space when other accessories are mounted on the bow. As will subsequently be detailed the present invention overcomes these deficiencies in the prior art.